Football Flash

Steaua Bucharest has consolidated its position at the helm of the first division. The Romanian vice-champions drew 1-all against CSM Poli Iasi on National Arena Stadium in Bucharest on Wednesday night. Steaua now has a 2-lead point advantage over runner-up Bucharest rivals, Dinamo.

Florin Orban, 01.09.2016, 14:22

The match was a re-scheduled fixture of the first round of this season. Steaua’s lineup lacked several of its first-team regulars, who have been called up to their national squads. The host team opened the score on 20 minutes through Robert Valceanu, while the visiting side made it even 3 minutes before half-time, through Lukacs Bole. In the second half, Steaua performed with only 10 players after Cristian Ontel was shown a red booking on 57th minutes.

Also worth mentioning is that striker Florin Tanase wore the no.10 t-shirt for the game. Its former owner, Nicolae Stanciu, was signed earlier this week by Anderlecht club in Belgium, for a 10-million-euro transfer fee. With this move, the former Steaua midfielder thus became the best-selling Romanian player of all times.

Steaua also sold goalkeeper Valentin Cojocaru to Crotone, an Italian club recently promoted to Serie A, in exchange for 1 million euros. Coming to replace Cojocaru is Eduard Stancioiu of ASA Targu Mures, aged 35. The vice-champions have also signed another two midfielders: 24-year-old Croat Antonio Jakolis of CFR Cluj, and Wilfred Moke, a 28-year-old Congolese player previously playing for FC Voluntari.

(Translated by V. Palcu, edited by D. Vijeu)